Journey Home
by Motoruven
Summary: Revan and the Exile return to Coruscant
1. Chapter 1

Journey home Chapter 1

She would never get used to the emptiness of space. The cold, lifeless darkness, seemingly indifferent to the worries of the galaxy made everything, from the scorched dunes of Tatooine to the sterile wastes of Korriban, seem homely. She and her companion were weeks into their journey back to the core worlds, going in agonizingly slow, elaborate patterns of hyperspace travel to make sure they weren't followed.

She yawned and threw a glance over her right shoulder. Her companion was asleep, looking almost disturbingly peaceful in the second pilot's chair. A thin smile graced her lips, and she returned to planning their next hyperspace route.

Shalea Kall, also known as Revan, was a pale, slender woman in her mid thirties. With her long brown hair, wiry gymnast's body and high cheekbones she still maintained a youthful, almost royal kind of beauty. But the many years of fighting, travelling and distress had left their marks on her, her face lined with signs of constant worry and fatigue, and her beautiful features blemished by the scar tissue around her left eye, now a milky gray. It was a stark contrast to her right, which still had the warm, blue color of her birth.

She brushed the hair out of her eyes and gave her companion a gentle nudge.  
"Time to move, prepare the navi-computer if you please" she said, her voice rasping, almost metallic from disuse. Not many words were said during the long hours on the small freighter, the two communicating mainly through the force and simple gestures.

The man in second pilot's chair was large, close to six feet four and well over two hundred pounds. His size, combined with his black hair and thick stubble gave him a menacing, almost brutish look. His dark brown eyes however were warm and he had a smile that could relax even the most hysterical and frightened people. Shallag Charon, also known as the Jedi Exile, yawned and turned his focus to the instrument panel.  
"About time we're starting our approach to the core worlds now, this zigzag travelling is getting tedious" he said, his deep voice just as throaty as his companion's.  
"You're the one who suggested it, remember?" Shalea said a faint smile on her lips.  
"And for the love of my life I can't remember why" the man replied even though they both knew the reason why. Their escape from the Sith empire had been chaotic at best, with a small armada focusing on capturing the small freighter they had stolen from the Sith Emperor's own hangar. Only luck, the fact that the Emperor was temporarily out of commission due to Shallag's timely intervention, and Shalea's near suicidal piloting had allowed them to escape with their lives.

Shalea shuddered as she remembered how she had been struck by the Emperor's steel clad fist, the pain and sickening feeling of her left eye starting to fade. She recalled how the Emperor had stood over her, his crimson blade ready to strike. She could still feel the anguish of realizing that she had failed, not only herself but the republic, her friends, her love… and then the shock mixed with almost childish joy when the Emperor collapsed like a sack of groceries, having been struck in the head by Shallag, who had managed to sneak up behind him with a large rock in his hand, his lightsaber having been lost in a previous confrontation.

Shalea had no idea how Shallag had managed to find her, so far beyond the outer rim and deep inside a heavily fortified castle, but she couldn't bring herself to care. All she knew was that he had found her, saved her life and helped her escape. She threw a quick glance at the man. She knew of his previous relationship with Atris, the Jedi historian. She also knew of his ability to form bonds, meaning he had probably left a large number of people he cared about behind to go and look for her. She didn't know what had become of the Jedi historian, but if she was still at Coruscant and if she still acted the way she had prior to the civil war, Shalea would have a _very_ serious talk with the Echani woman.

Shallag quickly entered the coordinates for Coruscant, calculating the shortest possible route and started the countdown to hyperdrive ignition. He had grown increasingly restless over the three weeks of jumping around in seemingly random hyperspace patterns to make sure they weren't followed. He knew it was the smart thing to do and he was not going to risk everything they had fought for simply because he felt homesick, but that didn't make it any more enjoyable.

He massaged his neck and thought back on his time searching for his long lost companion. He had never had anything to go on except his intuition, a fleeting tremor in the force that gave him a vague idea of where to look. Then he had finally found that sorry excuse for a civilization that was the Sith empire. Almost immediately after he dropped out of hyperspace he came under heavy fire. No words had been spoken, no warnings had been issued. His piloting skills were mediocre at best, so rather than trying something fancy, he went directly for the surface of the planet, the Ebon Hawk falling apart around him. He had managed to guide the old smugglers vessel into a controlled crash which had resulted in him landing in the midst of a deserted plaza. He had quickly left the scene and disappeared into an alley.

The nest three hours had been spent sneaking and occasionally fighting his way past Sith troopers and dark jedi of various skill. It had all gone well until he reached the castle. The place had been guarded exclusively by dark jedi, many of which had been very powerful.

When he finally found a path that lead to the throne room, he had been forced to his knees by a tormented scream in the force. He had immediately recognized Shalea's force signature and had struggled to get to his feet as he had been jumped by a giant of a Sith warrior who had knocked Shallag's lightsaber out of his hands and out through a window. Shallag had eventually overpowered the man by force-throwing a large canister of mining explosives at him which he then ignited with a burst of force lightning. The Sith, along with all of his armaments, had been plastered over the walls and Shallag's robes.

He had burst through the throne room doors to find Shalea lying on the floor covered in blood with the Sith Emperor himself standing over her. Shallag had grabbed a fair sized rock, snuck up behind the armor clad Sith Lord and slammed the rock into his head. The lords helmet had probably kept him alive, though he _did_ drop down unconscious. Then they had made their way to the nearest hangar, seized a freighter and escaped. Barely.

Shallag shook his head lightly and pushed the dark memories away. Now the time had finally come to go home. He suspected Shalea had someone back in the Republic for whom she felt more than mere friendship. Just like he and Atris… He shook his head again to clear his mind. The choice to leave everything and everyone for the search to find Shalea had been hard enough, but it was leaving Atris that had hurt the most. Just as she was starting to realize that the jedi code didn't have all the answers and that love actually could work. He had to leave. He knew it had been the right thing to do, but that didn't make any less painful. He sighed and began the countdown.  
"Hyperdrive ignition in five, four, three, two… "  
"One…" Shalea whispered.

Next stop: Coruscant.


	2. Chapter 2

Journey home Chapter 2

The skies of Coruscant shone with a reddish glow, the last rays of light fading away. By the window of an office in a large security complex close to the senatorial gathering chambers stood a man, his eyes closed as if he was asleep standing up.

He was in his early forties, his dark brown hair already showing strands of silver. His face carried the mileage of a long and tiring life in several thin lines and small scars. In spite of this, his posture was strong, and he still carried himself like the soldier he was. He was dressed in a dark red officer's jacket, a modified blaster attached to his belt.

A quiet buzz from his comlink, followed by a nervous voice of a young security Captain, jerked him out of his thoughts.

"Admiral Onasi? Are you available?" Carth Onasi sighed, he was a professional and wasn't about to let personal moodiness impact on his duties, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Yes Captain?" He answered, his voice still carrying a slight Telosian accent.

"A ship just dropped out of orbit close to one of our patrol corvettes. A small freighter by the looks of it. It immediately transmitted valid landing codes and set course for the Jedi Temple. It should touch down with the next thirty minutes. However, one of the docking officers recognized the ship model as an old Sith Trooper transport. They had Security hail them, ordering whoever it is to remain stationary after landing. Our sensors haven't picked anything of interest, but better safe than sorry right?" the Guard Captain finished.

"Carth chuckled quietly, his mood improving slightly now that he had something to do.

"Right you are Captain. Have we received any transmissions or signals from the ship?"

"Just one Sir, a man asking for you specifically" the Captain answered, confusion evident in his youthful voice. Carth raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Me..? Did he bother giving his name?"

"He's still on the holostream Sir, I'm sending the code to your office receiver now"

Carth quickly walked over to the large office table and sat down. He entered the code and activated the hologram receiver. Seconds later, a blurry and distorted image of a burly, dark haired man appeared on the table in front of him. Carth raised a glass of water to his lips as he nodded to the small image, waiting for the stranger to introduce himself.

"Admiral Onasi, looking good" the man greeted him, a smile on his lips. Carth nearly choked on his water. The picture was blurry, as expected with a transmission from a small transport vessel. The sound however, was excellent, and Carth would have recognized that voice in the midst of a thunderstorm. A voice that had provided him with a lot of valuable insight and strategic information during the Mandalorian Wars… and whose owner had saved his life. Carth wiped his mouth and cleared his throat.

"Who… who is this?" he croaked. He had to hear it… _needed _to hear it.

"We first met at Dxun, onboard the _Slugger." _Carth thought back at the beginning of the Mandalorian wars.

"What kind of ship was it" he asked quickly, hoping, _praying _that his paranoia was just screwing with him.

"Second class dreadnought battle cruiser, clumsybugger by my recollection. Packed some decent firepower though." Carth's mind was reeling. _Just one more question…_

"What happened to her?"

"Caught in the crossfire between a Mandalorian frigate and a hidden anti-aircraft ground battery. Guided into a controlled crash circa eight clicks out from the nearest Mandalorian camp. You were cursing like a pirate when I dragged you out." The man said. Carth wiped his mouth and took a deep breath.

"Shallag? Shallag Charon? The… Exile?" Carth said, his voice unsteady.

"Feel free to forget that last title. It's getting old" Shallag replied with a curious mix of bitterness and sarcasm in his deep voice.

"Why don't you take a quick speeder ride and come down here and tell your friends not to blow us up?" Shallag said, his previous bitterness gone. Carth couldn't keep himself from smiling.

"I'll be there in ten min… wait a second, _us_? Who've you got with you?" Carth's mind was spinning. _IF __**he**__ made it, then maybe she…_ no, he wouldn't allow himself to think of that. He had had too many disappointments in the last several years, he wasn't about to let himself down again with false hope.

The small image of Shallag Charon chuckled softly.

"All good things to those who wait, pal. See you in ten." And with that, the image vanished.

For a few minutes, Carth just sat there, wandering if he hadn't finally gone insane. He hit the replay button and listened to their conversation again. _See you in ten…_ He almost leapt from the chair, grabbed his overcoat and sprinted for the door.

"Captain!" he called, as he moved quickly towards the elevator. The young officer snapped to attention.

"Sir?"

"Call the garage and tell them to prepare a speeder for me at once" he ordered, leaving no room for objections. The Captain couldn't understand why the Admiral had suddenly gotten so exited, but he did as he was told.

Nine minutes and several traffic violations later Carth Onasi landed outside of the Jedi Temple, just ten feet from the old freighter. Carth looked at the battered old ship. The model was ancient, and looked like it hadn't been maintained properly for years. It also carried several signs of carbon scoring, indicating a fair amount of trouble for Shallag and whoever else was with him.

He looked to his right and saw an armed security team keeping a close eye on the ship. The squad was led by a grey-haired veteran who had also fought at Dxun. He still felt deeply indebted to the Jedi and now, too old for active field duty, had volunteered to handle security at the Jedi Temple's outer perimeter. Carth couldn't help but smile. The man would without a doubt recognize Shallag the second the man showed himself.

Carth quickly greeted the Squad leader.

"It's ok Captain, this surprise is a good one… I think" He said, still holding a tiny amount of fear that this was just an elaborate hoax. He nodded towards the Captain.

"They may exit the ship freely, Captain Jorun"

"Captain Jorun raised his eyebrows and glared at the freighter, then reached for his comlink.

"Unidentified visitors, you may exit the ship. I ask you though, to exit slowly and with your hands visible" Carth hid his smile, he didn't blame the man for being nervous. It _was _a Sith ship after all.

The ramp creaked slightly, and started to drop. When it reached the ground, a single figure became visible at the top of it. The security team tensed slightly, as expected. The figure, a large, black-haired man, started slowly walking down the ramp, his arms out and visible. Carth looked at the man, and felt all the fear and the paranoia melt away. Though time had left its mark, he still recognized the man at first glance. The man threw him an amused glance, and then turned his eyes to Captain Jorun.

"Long time no see, Captain" he called out, his deep voice echoing over the landing grounds. Captain Jorun looked like he was about to have a heart attack. Carth actually worried for the old man for a second but then Jorun lowered his blaster and smiled.

"Indeed commander, indeed." He then holstered his blaster, walked up to the man and grabbed his hand which he shook heartily. He then stepped away as Carth walked up to the large Jedi and embraced him.

"Good to see you again, you crazy sob" Carth said as they disengaged, smiling at his old friend, his voice thick with emotion. Shallag returned the smile, and then spoke:

"It gets better flyboy. I believe you've got someone waiting for you up in the cockpit." He said with an amused glint in his eyes.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have an errand at the Jedi Temple" He patted Carth on the shoulder, causing the smaller man to wince slightly, and then walked off to the large pyramid building. Carth followed him with his eyes for a moment and then walked over to the boarding ramp of the freighter, hesitated for a second, then entered.

Please review, it makes everything feel better. Hope you've enjoyed it so far.


	3. Chapter 3

Journey Home Chapter 3

Carth Onasi struggled to keep his breath steady as he ascended the loading ramp to the old transport. The air tasted bad and he guessed the CO2 filters where close to braking. The storage room was covered in dust and only barely noticeable patterns in the floor indicated any recent use. He moved past the storage space and entered the living quarters. Just as he was about to enter the cockpit a hoarse voice broke the stillness.

"Hello flyboy"

Carth yelped and spun around, his hand automatically reaching for his blaster. His eyes quickly scanned the living area, and soon fell upon a figure in one of the chairs. He stood astonished, he had been _very _alert going past the living quarters and the chair certainly hadn't been occupied when he first entered. He eyed the person intently; a little younger than him and only slightly shorter. Long brown hair. Her eyes… no her _eye_ he noticed, held the same deep blue color he remembered. The left however, was a milky gray, and a mess of scar tissue around it blemished her worn but still beautiful face. Carth struggled to find his voice.

"S… Shalea?" he whispered, his voice suddenly feeling very thin. The woman rose from the chair, a curious mix of a smile and fear on her face. She walked up to him, stopping only half a foot short of touching him.

"You look surprised" she said, her voice laced with forced levity, her eye betraying her nervousness. Carth reached out with his right hand and cautiously, as if he was afraid she would disappear upon contact, touched her shoulder.

A shiver coursed through her body as he gently pulled closer, and suddenly her self control gave way, and she threw herself at him, nearly knocking him over. Carth responded by wrapping his arms around her, his eyes suddenly feeling very hot. They remained like this for a long time, neither saying a word, neither trusting their voice to hold. They would most likely have remained like this for far longer if a certain Captain hadn't made his existence known.

"Admiral? Are you alright?" Captain Jorun called, his voice echoing through the empty freighter. Carth muttered under his breath.

"Talk about rotten timing…" He paused as Shalea stroked his bearded cheek.

"Come" she simply said, and started walking to the ramp. As the pair descended, the security crew once again tensed up and Captain Jorun called out.

"Who goes there? Identify yourself and… " He suddenly choked on his words as he recognized the woman at the admirals side. His eyes went wide, and the he did what Carth feared he might do when he first saw Shallag. The old Captain fainted. He collapsed unceremoniously on the landing pad in front of his astonished crew. They watched confusedly as the brown-haired woman at the admirals side dashed forward impossibly quickly, reaching their Captain just as he hit the deck. She held his torso up with relative ease, her other hand on his chest. A few seconds later the Captain stirred, his eyes immediately locking on the woman. She smiled crookedly at him.

"Granted recent times has left me a little messed up, but I don't look _that _bad now do I?" she said with an easy smile on her thin lips, drawing a nervous laughter from the security team. The Captain took a deep breath, closed his eyes and muttered, just load enough for everyone to hear.

"Maybe now the Admiral will shut up about 'the girl that got away'" He then smiled and rose to his feet. He turned to Carth, who looked like was trying not to laugh as Captain Jorun tried to regain some kind of military dignity and spoke.

"Requesting to take the day of Admiral. Somehow I feel quite desperate for a drink" He said, his voice still a bit weak. Everybody laughed and Carth gave the man a hearty slap on the shoulder.

"Permission granted. I hereby order you and your men to visit a respectable cantina and I order _you_ to buy the drinks and explain to your men why you collapsed like an old man at the sight of two old friends." He handed the man a cred stick.

"Just don't make a mess" he added, glaring theatrically at the group. The men saluted and then cheered. Captain Jorun spoke, his voice back to normal.

"Don't worry sir, I'll keep them in line. Men, report at the Corellian bar in twenty minutes. Dismissed!" The security squad walked off, leaving the Jedi and the Admiral alone at the pad. Suddenly feeling awkward, Carth threw a cautious look at Shalea, who simply smiled, took his hand and spoke.

"Come" she simply said, leading him towards the Temple.

At the Jedi Temple

Shallag tried to relax as he walked through the gates to the large pyramid building. The grounds were quieter than he remembered, which unsettled him, making feel like an intruder. He knew it was only to be expected after the civil war, but it didn't make it feel any better. He was snapped out of his brooding by an accented female voice.

"Hold! Name and business, if you please" The voice was cordial but serious, leaving no room for objections. Shallag turned to his right and locked eyes with the voice's owner. A tall, muscular Cathar woman looked at him sharply, her right hand resting on the hilt of a lightsaber. Shallag raised his hands defensively.

"Relax miss, I'm simply wondering where I might find the mistress of the Archives. The woman raised an eyebrow, her feline features showing an odd mix of skepticism and confusion.

"The mistress of the Archives? You mean Atris?" she answered, eyeing him suspiciously. She looked like she was trying to remember something.

"The same." Shallag replied smiling, trying to make the woman relax. The way she stared at him was quite unsettling. Then she spoke again.

"What is your business with her?" she said, not quite as aggressive as before. Shallag shrugged and decided to speak the truth, fearing the woman might try to strangle him if she suspected him of lying.

"We were friends up until the Mandalorian wars, after which she and the rest of the council threw me out" he simply stated. He then had to bite his lip to keep himself from laughing. The Cathar's face had gone from intense and slightly intimidating to confused and slightly comical. She looked at him like he had sprouted a second head. She then cleared her throat and spoke.

"I… I see. If you would please follow me." she purred, her voice now surprisingly soft. She then turned and started walking towards one of the meditation chambers, motioning for him to follow.

"Thank you miss" he said, moving up beside her. The feline glared at him.

"It's _Mrs! _She growled, her eyes almost glowing. Shallag stared at her, slightly startled.

"And your welcome" she then said evenly, walking off at a quick pace. Shallag, now feeling royally confused, remained stationary for a few seconds and then quickly followed the Cat-like woman.

Please write and review! Hope you've enjoyed it so far and if you have any ideas, feel free to share them. And bonus points to whoever guesses who our dear Cathar has bonded with.


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